Dell Changing the Bulbs

As part of its “commitment to become the ‘greenest’ technology company on the planet”, Dell has announced its intent to convert its entire line of laptop displays to LED technology by 2010, with 80% of models achieving this goal by end of 2009.  Considering the numerous benefits associated with such a move, from ceasing the use of mercury-laden cold cathode fluorescents, to dramatically increasing energy efficiency, while decreasing the heat generation of the computers themselves,  there is certainly reason for laptop users to rejoice.  Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, not just for other computer and electronics manufacturers who will surely do the same, but for manufacturers of all lighting-related technologies, which could make the cumbersome process of mercury sequestration for recycled CFLs a short-lived challenge.  Currently, Apple has transitioned a number of its products to LED technology, and intends to do so for its entire product line in the future, and Hewlett Packard offers a few of their models with optional LED displays.  Surely however, such a dramatic move by Dell will only make them move faster in that regard, leaving the laptop user and the environment to benefit from a competitive ramp-up in “green computing”.  It appears that Dell has heeded the call to become more environmentally friendly, so we can only look forward to more environmentaly friendly yet business-savvy initiatives like this.

Dell

Dell’s press release